


Fallen

by Chara_Retold



Series: Chara Retold [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Additional tags added as story progresses, Backstory, Childhood Memories, Depression, Dreemurr Siblings, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Graphic Description, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Suicide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-12
Updated: 2016-07-02
Packaged: 2018-06-07 14:17:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 20,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6808588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chara_Retold/pseuds/Chara_Retold
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chara's past is shrouded in mystery. Many see them only as what they were turned into in the Genocide run, but there are many steps that were taken for Chara to reach that point. We all know how the story ends, but don't you wonder how it begins?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. How it all begins.

**Author's Note:**

> This story contains massive spoilers for the game Undertale. Undertale is best experienced being played with little to no knowledge of it beforehand. I strongly recommend playing the game before reading this story.  
> Thank you Toby Fox as well, without you and your team's work I would never have been able to write this story that I have come to love.  
> Any questions or comments feel free to leave a message or send me an Ask on my Tumblr.  
> http://chararetold.tumblr.com/  
> Hope you all enjoy.

A dark night, just like the others.

Walking, running, it didn’t really matter anymore. Slowly shambling up this path, ready for what was to come, but still trying to convince myself. Tree by tree I keep going. These trees, this forest untouched by human hands, out of fear, out of superstition.

Looking around as they loom above me, smothering me with their darkness, I only feel safe. Safe in my choice that I’ve yet to make, safe from those left behind.

Step by step I wait for my choice to be made, but nothing happens. Doubt begins to creep upon me. Was it all a fool’s tale? Was it just another lie? Maybe there’s nothing special to this mountain. But what more can I do now than keep going. My path back was all but ignored and no one would want to come find me. Not here. Not even if anyone cared anymore.

Deep in thought I keep walking, still hoping this place would live up to its legend. Step by step, each one the same as the last, until finally, something new. Something that shouldn’t be here, not in a place like this. A pattern of flat, smooth stones below my feet. Kneeling down to see what I’d found. A path, a manmade path out here in these forgotten woods.

I guess I was naïve to think that this place would be any different, that this place could have survived the gaping claw of humanity and their insatiable hunger to conquer all that they come across. I’ve come all this way to escape from those that I left behind, but still I haven’t gone far enough. But this place, what is it? What purpose does it have so far away from everyone?

This path leads away, far into the unknown darkness, but should I follow it or find my own. Anything could be along it, but maybe I could find what I’m looking for. What’s it matter if I follow this path instead of another? Slowly taking the first steps I begin to walk the old human’s path, the sound of my footfalls give the woods around me an eerie shade.

For the first time in these dark woods, fear creeps upon me. Goosebumps crawl down my back; I try and fight to hold back a shiver. How long has passed since this path was left behind? And where did the creators end up. Are they still somewhere in these woods?

Continuing along the path trying to find any signs of current life, glancing quickly all around me, the darkness behind every tree containing a possible enemy. Step by careful step I continue along the path, ready for anything that might try to come. Fearful of what could be hiding behind me in the shade of the woods, I’d all but ignored the path ahead. Realizing this, I stop, glaring towards the end of this path. Darkness deeper than before, than the ones cowering under the trees, hiding from the starlight.

But no not just darkness, an opening, a cave entrance. Was this why this place is feared, did something happen here or was it just another forgotten ruin thrown away by the humans like so many others. Or perhaps this is where the creators of this place live. Hiding away in safety from the dark night.

Come too far now, might as well try and find out, maybe I can find what I’ve been looking for. Creeping up to the edge of the cavern, I peer into the entrance. Try as I might nothing can be seen. No light penetrates the darkness within. Stepping into the shade of the entrance, I let the darkness take control of me, hoping to see more as my eyes adjust.

Nothing holding me back, I leave the starlight behind me. Step by step I go deeper, wondering if the next will be the last. Nothingness is all that stretches all around me, but I still keep walking. Something must be here, hidden away by the darkness.

A few more steps and nothingness is all that’s below me as well. A chasm reaches down into the earth just ahead. One more clueless step and it would have all been over, wouldn’t that have been so much simpler.

I peer down wondering what this hole meant. What importance did it have for the humans to have built so much, so far away from everything? And why is this place feared now, does it have nothing to do with it? Seems unlikely that this would just be a coincidence.

“Heh,” what’s it matter now. This chasm’s history, I’ll never know it, it means nothing to me now. Its presence is all that I need, I’ve found what I needed. But will it be enough?

Kicking a small stone down into the abyss, waiting, longer and longer but no sound returns. Finally I’ve found it, the end of this path, the destination I have been looking for, for so long. One step and it’ll all be over. One step and this burden will be left behind.

I close my eyes, all that’s left is another step, same as the last, same as all the rest that’ve come before. One step and…

I open my eyes and see nothing around me, I feel the wind rushing by as I fall. Freedom, I am finally free from the past, finally free from them all.

The walls around me begin to close in. I must be near the bottom now. But as the end approaches, something primal begins to burn within me. What have I done? This was a mistake, why am I here. NO. NO I DON’T WANT TO Di-

 

* * *

 

 

Darkness. All that’s left is darkness. Did it work, is it over? No, I still feel it. It hasn’t gone away. I must still be alive.

It was all pointless, I’ll never be free. But this is new. Something’s different, something’s wrong.

“UgggghhhhhhhaaAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH,” I can’t stop screaming. My eyes burst open and I look down to my body.

Red, so much red. Blood, my blood. No this wasn’t supposed to happen. Nothing was supposed to be left for me after. What went wrong, I know I fell far enough. Looking down seeing my blood pool below me, flowers, so many flowers. None I had seen before, but they were dense, more than should be possible for a natural flower bed. Blue, red, purple, more shades than I had ever seen and many were unknown to me. Drops of blood cover the petals of the ones nearest to me, at least the ones that I hadn’t crushed when I landed, more are pulled down as the pool grows and passes by their stems.

I have to move. I don’t have long; I’m losing too much blood. But how can I move with my legs like this. I’ll have to crawl, but to where. Where am I? Looking around for the first time and I notice that I’m surrounded by light. This shouldn’t be possible, where’s it coming from, darkness is all that’s above. But this light, it seems to permeate the area.

It doesn’t matter, I need to stay focused, but my mind keeps slipping. I need to find a way out, I need to find help. Looking around the light is rimmed by darkness, but how deep, how far does it go. To my side a door sits just outside the ring of abnormal light. No other options appear, the door must be the only escape, my only chance.

I try to grab for the ground to move myself toward it, but my vision begins to grow foggy. The pain just too intense and my mind fading, I only make it an inch or two. Eyes locked on my only escape I slide myself a few more inches, my blood helping to grease the way. I have to keep moving, but my strength is faltering.

My hands covered in blood start to slip on the flowers and vines as I try to pull myself forward. Too much, I’ve lost too much. I can’t keep my eyes open.

Staring towards the doorway as my last hopes of finding help fades, a faint movement shines in the darkness, something small. It freezes, as still as a statue. Did it ever move? Was my starved mind just playing tricks on me to keep up hope?

It doesn’t really matter anymore, even if someone found me now, it’s too late. I’ve lost too much. I struggle to move my body, a pointless last action in this pointless life. But nothing happens. I can’t move my body. I try to open my eyes. But nothing happens.

Darkness begins to spread to the last edges of my mind. Even my thoughts have become sluggish. As my last remaining moments begin to pass by slowly, soft footfalls echo around the cavern.

Looks like the statue decided to come watch me die. Closer and closer the footsteps approach, stepping from the stone floor to the flower bed. A cry breaks out and reverberates around us.

Can’t it let me die in peace; guess my statue doesn’t like blood. It jumps to my side, its hands covering me. Trying to help or trying to finish things, doesn’t really matter. Darkness is all that’s left to me now.

Too deep now into the abyss to resist, I welcome it. Floating, embracing the emptiness around me, my pain gone.

In the distance a warmth flickers to life. This was something new, the dim light blinds me. I try to look away, but everywhere I turn it remains ahead. Maybe this is a glimpse to the next world, ready to consume me when I pass.

Reaching for it, the flame flickers brighter, but still farther than I can grasp. A match in ocean of darkness, but it’s so bright, it’s so warm. The flame expands again; the light cast from it burns my eyes, my body. But I can’t escape it, I can only try to reach out and extinguish it. I stretch out towards it, desperate to rid myself of it, but I still can’t reach it.

It begins to flicker; will it finally go out and leave me be? Reaching out again farther and farther to smother it, it continues to flicker. Just ahead of me now, the flame as bright and warm as the sun with the darkness surrounding it. I clasp my hands around it in hopes to finally be rid of it, but the light remains, brighter than ever.

Within my palms the flickering ends and the flame starts to expand. Getting larger and larger, the warmth of it almost becoming too much. The light spreads throughout my mind like wildfire, but not just my mind, my body as well. The warmth becoming more intense until it’s all that I can feel. Not just warmth, but the flame itself. Its burning heat sears throughout every inch of my body. All that’s left to me now is this warmth, a pain, yet somehow different.

But as quickly as it began the flames are extinguished. Returning me to the darkness. So much more intense without the fire. My body tingling with the sudden lack of feeling and my mind ringing with it so quickly being emptied. With it gone the feeling slowly starts to return.

I tense, waiting for the pain from my broken body, but it never comes. Only an ache is left in its place. A soft noise comes from above me, but what is it? What’s going on? Why am I back?

Opening my eyes, I’m blinded once again. Fearful that the flame had returned I blink, but as they open again they start to adjust to the light.

Kneeling beside me the statue watches me, it’s speaking. “Oh! You’ve fallen down, haven’t you… Are you okay? Here get up.”

It expects me to stand with my body like this? Can’t it see my legs, can’t it see the blood?

It begins pulling me up trying to get me to stand, but again I tense, waiting for the pain of my broken body to wash over me, but it never comes.

It continues unfaltered and somehow my legs, my feet are below me to keep me standing.

“What’s your name?” The statue asks.

“Chara” I whisper out almost choking on my words.

“Chara, huh?” it says, “That’s a nice name.”

My eyes finally adjusted to the strange light of the cavern I look over to the statue as it says.

“My name is Asriel. Asriel Dreemurr.”


	2. A friendly picnic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara is taking things pretty well so far. Wonder how long that can last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took longer than expected. Wasn't the biggest fan of how I had things going, so I went back and did a lot of rewriting. With working full time it took some time, but hope you enjoy as much as I have been.  
> Happy Reading.

The statue, no Asriel, watches me, a small smile forced on his face. He’s a creature unlike I’ve ever seen before. He stands about my height, but that’s the only similarity to a human that can be made.

His mouth and nose extends out into a snout, like an animal, and long floppy ears reach down to his shoulders like a puppy. Strangely as well, his face and body are covered in a fur, a short white fur that seems neatly kept and well-groomed, except for the short cowlick sticking up on his forehead.

Whatever he is, this creature, this monster, I need to get away from him. Who knows why he saved me. Am I to be cattle saved for his next meal or something worse? He’s small like me, but he has magic. He could kill me if he wanted; if I try to escape from him he’ll try to stop me.

Magic only hurts people.

While this is all going through my mind Asriel just stares. It’s as if he knew what I’m thinking. That if he looked away even for a moment that I would vanish like a wisp of smoke. Like that could even happen now, even with my legs healed, they’re still weak.

No, I’ll have to try and find another way to get away later. I’ll have to play nice with this monster and wait for him to slip up. It’s my only chance.

Asriel’s smile never wavers. He must know he’s in control. He waits for a response from me, but what do I say.

“Umm, hi... Thanks for helping me. Uh, where are we?” I say lamely.

“The Underground of course,” Asriel answers with a wide grin taking over. “Where else would we be silly?”

“I don’t know” I respond feeling no clearer than before. “Wh…What now?”

“Can you move okay? We should get to my mom and dad, I’m still learning to use my magic, I wasn’t able to heal you as well as you need, as well as the-“

“NOO” I cut him off “No” I repeat softer this time after seeing the surprise and fear splash across him. The idea of more of them will only make getting away harder. And if he’s telling the truth that he can’t use magic very well, maybe I really will be able to escape. But only if we’re alone.

“Don’t worry, mom and dad will only want to help.” Asriel says with his calm smile returning, “And besides they’re waiting for me close by, there’s only one way out from here anyways.”

“Come on,” he says as he softly pulls me towards the door, almost laughing with excitement as he says it. “They’ll love to meet you.”

He’s just pulling me along with him now. My legs not working properly, I can’t really put up a fight. I guess I don’t have a choice here; probably won’t for a while with my legs as they are.

Asriel pulls me towards the door again and instead of being dragged, I try to take some steps with him. I put all my weight into him in an act of defiance, maybe if he gets tired he’ll want to stop, but if he notices or cares, he doesn’t let on.

We get to the door eventually, having to take small steps, more scooting across the ground rather than making real progress, so it takes a while. Once there I stop and Asriel lets me. Peeking through the doorway, I try to see what’s in store ahead.

The next room is another area of abnormal light, cast by seemingly nothing. In the center of the room two figures sit upon a blanket with various foods arranged between them. They’re having a conversation, the smaller figure heaving in laughter from something the larger one said.

The two figures are larger versions of Asriel, both with animal like snouts, short white fur, and long ears.

The larger figure however also has a large un-kept mane of golden fur surrounding it’s face like a lion’s, that mostly conceals it’s ears. It also has long curved horns reaching up from the top of its skull.

The smaller figure looks much more similar to Asriel than the other, with only short curved horns and much more well-kept fur than both Asriel and the larger figure.

Returning my attention to Asriel since the figures hadn’t noticed us yet, being too focused on their picnic, I notice him staring. He quickly changes back from the concerned look to his happy smile and gives another little pull towards the picnic.

As he does a flash of panic unleashes itself and I pull away. I can’t go in there. They can’t notice us. I try to walk away, back from where we came, but I stumble and fall. I can’t breathe, I have to get away from here, I have to be quiet, I have to escape.

I can’t let them find me.

As I desperately try to crawl away Asriel slowly walks in front of my path and sits cross-legged in front of me with a sad look.

He whispers to me “Calm down, it’s going to be okay. We need to get you more help. I’ll be with you the whole time.”

He reaches his hand out to me a smile returning to his face that I hadn’t noticed he lost. He waits, waits for me to make my decision.

Instead of taking his hand I look at him. I really look at him for the first time. Deep into his eyes, the portal to your soul as people used to say. His eyes different than a humans, just like everything else about him, his irises a very dark blue, almost black, misshaped with a small notch missing near the top.

I look into him as he keeps his hand out waiting, but I don’t see anything. Nothing that will help me, nothing that tells me if he’s lying to me or not. All I see from him is a confidence that he exhumes, his small happy smile never faltering.

A kind smile that means nothing to me.  A small warmth coming from it, similar to the one that filled my body when he healed me. I focus only on that, filling my mind with it, slowly regaining control over my breathe.

I look down to his paw errrr, hand, and again it differs from my own having only three fingers and a thumb. I’ll have to trust someone down here if I’m to have any hope of getting out, if only a little bit and for as short a time as possible.

And this Asriel has only helped me so far, maybe he will continue to until he can get what he wants from me, hopefully I can escape before that time comes.

Slowly, I raise my hand up to his and place it onto his palm. He clasps his fingers around it and stands up.

His smile turning into a wide grin he says,

“I’m glad you’re ready, I was getting stiff here on the hard ground.” Giving him a small quick smile as an apology, he seems satisfied and starts pulling me back to my feet.

Walking the few feet back to the door, since I guess I hadn’t really made it that far when trying to crawl away, we step through it.

Still standing in the darkness around the edge of the room Asriel lets me go, giving me a quick look of confidence and then turning his attention to the figures that still hadn’t noticed us.

“Umm, Mom… Dad…” The figures stir and turn to where Asriel voice came from. Asriel steps out into the light and the figures give him the same happy expression that Asriel had given to me so many times now.

“Ummm… Don’t freak out okay?”

“I met someone over in the flower bed, where I usually like to play.” Asriel says, “They were hurt, so I helped them. And I know you don’t like it when I use my magic without supervision, but they really needed help and I did. I did help them. But… I wasn’t able to heal them fully. They still need your help.”

“Mom, Dad, this is Chara.” He says as he holds his hand out, beckoning me to join him. No going back now, but I still really don’t want to do this. He gives me a look when I don’t step out and starts shaking his hand impatiently.

Not able to leave on my own, I do the only thing I can do now. I step into the light.

Asriel calms, his grin wider than ever, but his parents are standing now, after their son’s confession. And their looks of concern instantly transform to fear as they see me. The smaller figure quickly rushes forward to grab Asriel as the larger one summons some sort of fire magic ready to strike.

Before I can try to rush back into the safety of the darkness Asriel gives off a high pitched squeal.

“NOOOOOOO!” He screams in his childlike voice, “I SAID NOT TO FREAK OUT. I told them you’d help them. They’re still hurt. Please stop, you’re scaring them. They need your help.”

Asriel starts to break down into tears as his pleas continue, never moving from his spot between us. Only mumbling now to the smaller figure that was now in front of Asriel, holding him, tears flooding down his face.

“I’m sorry young one, please don’t cry,” the smaller figure says with a feminine voice. As she speaks the larger figure’s magic falters and disappears entirely.

The smaller figure, Asriel’s mother, turns her attention to me now, suspicion still in her eyes, but an apologetic smile on her face.

“I’m sorry my child, please do not be afraid. We do not wish to hurt you. You just surprised us, that is all.”

”Please come.” She says raising her hand, “We can help you. Asriel says you are hurt?” I hesitate, is this a trick now. They seemed perfectly happy to have hurt me a moment ago. Before I have a chance to keep brooding or react Asriel speaks up with his big grin returning.

“Chara can’t walk very well right now, I wasn’t able to heal them right.” A quick sadness covers him, but then vanishes. “They need my help.”

Asriel walks away from his mother to her evident dismay, but she doesn’t stop him. Asriel walks up to me, slow and cautiously, but since I don’t flinch away, he gets closer and pulls himself under my arm like before and we slowly make our way to the blanket.

There he sits me down. His father and mother looms above us, but then sits near us. They still seem weary, but they’re trying to hide it I think.

His mother speaks first, now that we are all together on the blanket.

“Are you hurting, my child? With all the blood covering you it is hard to tell where you are injured.”

“No, nothing hurts that badly” I quietly squeak out. “Asriel did alright healing me, I just can’t move very well.”

“Hmm” His mother says, “Well I am glad to hear that. We have been so rude, I apologize. My name is Toriel, I am Asriel’s mother, and this is Asgore, Asriel’s father.”

“Hello” Asgore says in a deep strange voice.

“And your name was Chara, correct?” Toriel says and I nod in response.

“Well Chara, I hate to keep you waiting to be helped, may I use my magic on you to finish the job my little Asriel started? It may be somewhat uncomfortable, but that will not last long.”

I hesitate. She could be anyone. Even if she did want to help, who knows if she even knows what she’s doing. I feel Asriel’s warm hand on my shoulder and looking over to him he smiles and nods to me. I lower my head and turn back to Toriel and slowly nod to her never raising my gaze.

“Do not worry my child, everything will be alright.” She says to me softly as she raises her hands above me.

An energy emits around me, different from what came from Asriel when he healed me, this one is much less intense and more focused. This energy flows through me like a pool of calm warm water.

“Asgore can I get some help from you here, I want this to be over quickly for the poor child.” She says.

“Yes my dear.” Asgore says as he moves to the other side of me. He sits behind me and asks “I will need place my hand on your shoulders little one, will that be alright?”

I nod again lightly and feel his warm large hands lay upon my back and then his magic releasing and mixing with Toriel’s.

“Hmm, looks like Asriel did well in healing you, but he was unable to restrain his power.” Toriel explains, “He healed your wounds, but then also built onto the areas that were healed with excess muscle and matter. It is no wonder that you are having trouble moving as you are now. There will be some pain removing it all, but it will only be temporary. Forgive me for this my child.”

She pauses in case I wish to respond, but I remain silent and she continues.

“Alright little one, prepare yourself. Asgore lets begin.”

The warm pool of energy that’s still spread throughout my body starts to concentrate on certain areas, the spots that felt wrong, the spots that had felt so much searing pain just a short while ago. The energy intensifies on one of the many and a sudden pain replaces it.

I let out a quick squeak of surprise and pain that I was so much hoping I could have kept inside and with it I feel another small soft hand placed on my leg. I look over and see Asriel next to me, grief stricken across his face and tears beginning to roll out again.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to. I only wanted to help you. I didn’t mean to.”

Asriel lowers his head in shame, tears running down the fur on his snout. I place my hand onto his and give it a squeeze. He looks up and I give him a small smile.

What a strange creature this Asriel is.

As I watched him another sharp pain strikes and then quickly vanishes and I try and fail to withhold my sound of pain. With it Toriel begins to hum a tune of some kind, either in concentration or comfort, an eerie tune with a happy tinge, but it only feels sad.

The magic begins to concentrate on another point, but as I tense for another spark of pain Asgore begins speaking.

“I am sorry that I reacted badly when I saw you little one.” He says. “It has been a long while since we have seen a human. Many of us never thought we would ever see one again. And when I saw the blood covering you I thought the worst.”

”I hope you can forgive me, forgive us.”

Unsure of what to do to appease him I raise my hand and place it upon his own that rests on my shoulder. It had worked with Asriel and it seems to work with him as well as he says.

“Thank you small one.” Another sharp pain strikes and dissolves, but this time I remain silent.

Asgore squeezes my shoulders lightly in reassurance, but remains silent as well. I start focusing on Toriel’s haunting happy tune, playing it through my head as another pain strikes and another. More keep coming, but I keep strong concentrating on Toriel’s song and Asriel and Asgore’s warm presence. More and more until finally Toriel stops humming and Asgore raises his hands off me.

“I’m sorry that took us so long my child. Your injuries must have been extensive. How are you feeling now?” Toriel asks.

“I’m okay. Thanks.” I respond pathetically.

“How could you know that silly?” Asriel laughs out, “You haven’t even tried moving yet.”

“Give them some time, child.” Asgore says, “Take all the time you need Chara.”

“Thanks.” I repeat, trying to stand now.

Surprisingly I stand without a problem, like nothing had ever happened. Perhaps my muscles are still somewhat tight, but only like I’d just woken from a nap.

“I can move again!” I say loudly, jumping and then stretching, testing my body for any flaws.

Remembering where I am however I quickly regain my composure and lower my gaze.

“Sorry.” I say meekly. “Thank you for helping me.”

“Think nothing of it child” Toriel says with a sad look, “We are glad you are alright now.”

“Are you hungry little one?” Asgore asks. “Would you like some fruit or maybe some tea?”

Am I hungry, I never really thought I would need to worry about that again. I should eat something though. I don’t know when I’ll be able to find any more food again. And I need to get some information from these creatures before I escape.

I nod silently and they beckon me to come back to the blanket. Asriel excitedly comes and joins us as we all sit to eat.

“Here try this” Asriel says happily holding up a strange fruit that I don’t recognize.

“What is it?” I ask while closely scrutinizing it. It was the size and color of a small green grape, however it had strange blue veins covering it, underneath the fruit's skin.

“A berry of course, try it. It’s really good, they’re my favorite.” Asriel says as he tosses a few into his open muzzle.

I might as well, I don’t really recognize anything else I see here either. I nibble a small piece off to try it, I had never really been picky before, I never really had an option to be, but I need to be careful here.

But to my surprise it tasted good. It’s tart, but with a hint of sweet, somewhat like a blackberry that’s been picked a bit too soon before it was fully ripe. I eat the rest of it and as I’m chewing my body starts to realize just how hungry I really am. When I swallow it however, something strange happens. A rush of energy fills me up like a burst of adrenaline.

“What was that?!” I ask surprised, “Its making me feel weird.”

“Oh, have you never tried any of our food before?” Toriel says in response, “It has been a long while now, perhaps there is no longer any left on the surface.”

“Our food is different than the food the humans eat, the food you are used to. Ours is made of much less matter than the humans. Ours is made mostly of magic and when eaten the magic gives you the energy from it directly, which soothes and empowers you. I am sorry we did not warn you my child, we are so used to them, I did not think of it.”

“They’re good though right?” Asriel says holding more out to for me. I smile to him and take what he offered, slowly eating one at a time.

Between berries I gain the courage to ask to no one in particular, “So if your food is different than humans, then what are you all if not human?”

Toriel looks surprised, “We are Monsters of course, did you really not know that little one? Did you not learn of us on the surface?”

I shake my head in response to her. She sits puzzled for a moment, but then suddenly she gains a look of recognition and quickly brings her hand to cover her mouth. A look of fear and sadness clearly showing as she says.

“I’m so sorry my child, if you did not know what we were then when you first saw us you must have been so frightened and we reacted so horribly to you as well.”

“I am so sorry,” Toriel says as she quickly leans over and embraces me in a hug. I tense up. I don’t know what to do, I don’t want to upset her. I still need more information from these people err.. Monsters, but I hadn’t expected this.

Asriel leans over to join in the hug as well and places his face into his mother’s side. “It’s okay mom, Chara forgives you. Right Chara?” Asriel says his voice muffled.

Still not knowing what to say I make an affirmative noise and hope that it will suffice. It seems to as Toriel says.

“Thank you my dear. If you do not know of us then you must be so confused right now, please ask any questions you have of us.”

Can it really be this easy? Will they give me everything I need to know? I can’t risk upsetting them; I’ll have to start with some simple questions.

“Can I have some more of those berries please?” I say.

Asriel laughs and hands me the whole bowl of them, grabbing a handful for himself before letting go.

“Thanks” I say. I eat a few and then get to my next question. “Are there a lot of you down here? How big is this place?”

Asgore responds this time saying, “All of monsterkind that we know of are down here with us. Or all that is left.” A quick sad look flashes across him and disappears. “We all live nearby in a place we have made our home. The underground spans much farther than we have built, but most of it has not been explored.”

“Why hasn’t it been explored?” I ask, my curiosity peaking.

“It is safer here,” Toriel says softly.

Feeling that this is a difficult subject for some reason I leave it behind and go on to more important topics.

“Are there any other humans down here?”

“No, there are none. You are the first one to walk this ground in a very long time, possibly ever.” Asgore says.

“Good,” I say relieved. Toriel and Asgore seem confused by my response, but thankfully they don’t question it. Unable to think of any more questions, I need to broach the topic that I’ve been delaying. The only question that really matters for me. “Thank you for helping me and for the food, but can you tell me how to get back to the surface?”

Asgore and Toriel shared a glance with each other. I don’t like it, I don’t think they’re going to let me go. Toriel avoiding the question asks me. “Do you know anything of us monsters little one? Is there nothing of our shared history that is remembered on the surface?”

“I don’t really know. I never really went to school,” I say embarrassed, “All I know of monsters is what people tell in scary stories. Hiding in darkness, tricking people, hurting people. I didn’t think they, er, you were real”

“Sorry.” I say realizing I might be offending them.

“That is alright little one,” Toriel says not realizing why I apologized. “Our history with humanity is not very happy, perhaps they chose to forget. It all happened a very long time ago now.”

“What did?” Curiosity getting the best of me.

Toriel and Asgore share another knowing look.

“There was a conflict between humans and us monsters long ago. Fighting broke out between us and a long battle ensued. We monsters however were no match against them.” Asgore says sadly with a hint of anger beneath the surface.

Toriel continues “We surrendered to the humans, for that was all that was left for us. And that is how we ended up down here. The humans chose to seal us away underground with a magical spell. Any may enter through it, but nothing can exit…”

“Do you understand my child?” Toriel says taking my hand into her own. “I am sorry little one, but now that you are down here with us, there is no way for you to return to the surface.”

Toriel waits silently for me to think, but I can’t. She can’t be telling the truth, this has to be a lie. There’s no way that we could have forgotten something like that, no matter how long ago it happened. They must be lying to try and keep me here, I doubt I can get much more information from them if they’re already lying.

They are trying to keep me here for whatever reason though. Now I just need to play along and wait for a chance to escape and find my own way out.

“What now then?” I ask.

Toriel and Asgore yet again glance at each other, but then Toriel quickly begins, “It is getting somewhat late, perhaps we should return to our home and get some rest and then we can think on exactly that in the morning. I know Asgore and I are both tired after all the magic we used, Azzy too seems tired out.” Toriel smiles towards Asriel as he is trying hard to not nod off. “He used a lot of magic as well.”

“Noh im fine,” Asriel slurs.

“And I imagine you must be tired as well Chara, after all that you have been through.” Toriel ends.

This could be perfect, if we return to their home then they will have to leave me alone at some point. They both can’t keep watching me forever.

“Yeah” I agree.

“Good” Toriel says standing, picking up the sleepy Asriel as she does. “Asgore could you clean up the picnic please.”

“Yes dear,” He responds and quickly cleans up the area like they had never been there.

“Now little one I need you to trust me here,” Toriel says “We have a little way to get back to our home and on our path there we will come across other monsters. They… They may not react very well to the sight of you much like we didn’t. It will be best for others to not yet know of you until we have all had some time to think and Asgore and I have had time to plan.”

“So I please ask of you to wear this blanket and stay close to us until we get to our home, it will not be for long.” Toriel says, reaching for the blanket Asgore is holding. She then holds it out, waiting for me to take it.

Seeing no harm in it I take it and wrap it around myself.

“Alright let us head out” Toriel says with Asriel still in her arms.

She begins walking towards the only other exit, Asgore waiting for me to follow. I move to follow, but trip after a few steps on this oversized blanket. Asgore chuckles in his deep voice and says.

“Here little one, let me help you.” Before I can protest he wraps his arms around me and picks me up much like how Toriel did with Asriel.

“No I’m okay, I can walk, I’ll be fine.” I say indignantly.

“Shush little one,” Asgore says with an amused grin. “It will be safer for you this way and it will not be for long. Alright?”

Not happy, but not wanting to delay things any longer, I remain silent and Asgore takes that as a concession and follows in Toriel’s wake.

As we walk I hear voices I don’t know, some distorted, unlike any human voice. These must be other monsters that Toriel warned of. I slowly reach over to pull the blanket more over me, fully covering my face from the possible threats. Muffled now I can barely hear the monster’s voices and Asgore seems uninterested in small talk. We continue for a ways and I hear other various mechanical sounds that I can’t place, but I don’t dare to look and reveal myself.

Finally having a moment to myself since this all began, my fatigue begins to over-encumber me. The warmth of the blanket and the heat from Asgore only worsen my sudden drowsiness. No matter how I resist I feel myself passing into unconsciousness. As I am about to succumb I hear Toriel from ahead of us.

“Finally home,” She says.

“Come on little one,” Asgore says beginning to place me down on the ground.

I quickly regain myself and get my footing below me and peek out from the blanket feeling disoriented and light headed from my close call with dreamland.

I need to be more careful.

“We are alone now, you can reveal yourself.” Asgore says.

Taking off the blanket is more of a challenge as it has knotted itself around me, but I manage and Asgore reaches out to take it. Looking around at my new surroundings, I find myself in a strange room of some sort. Ahead of us is a cute little brick house with leaves covering the ground around it. Behind us a small sapling of some tree I don’t recognize grows. It must somehow be the source of the all the leaves that are neatly piled around the yard.

“Welcome to our home my child,” Toriel says. “Please come and join us inside where it is warm.”

We all enter the quaint little house and to my surprise it is a complete contrast to the outsides purple brick walls and floors.

Inside is much like the homes of the human world. Wooden floors and tan walls with a staircase leading down ahead of us. Two hallways lead off to the rest of the house on my left and my right.

This all feels so out of place here underground.

Toriel leads us to the right hallway and I follow with Asgore heading up the back. It reaches far across the house with multiple doors along the left wall. Upon the ground is a soft decorated rug reaching the length of the hallway. Throughout the hall there are various vases and decorations filled with well taken care of plants of many varieties. Stopping in front of the second door on the left Toriel whispers.

“This is Asriel’s room,” She says quietly not to wake the now sleeping Asriel. “Let me go place him down to sleep and then we can get you comfortable for the night as well.”

She enters the doorway and I wait, peeking in to not lose sight of them. Asriel’s room again is much different than the rest of what I’ve seen. The room is colored in a light blue with his walls, floors, and bed all matching the theme. Various toys are strewn about and many different drawings and story books are piled around. Toriel steps to the bed and pulls back the covers, placing Asriel down and returning them over him.

“Night night little one,” She hums out. “Sleep well; tomorrow you are going to clean this mess you have left your room in” Smiling, she quickly pats her child’s head lightly and makes her way carefully back out of the room.

After closing the door she says, “Alright, let us get you comfortable as well for the night. Asgore could you please go and get the extra bedding for the little one?”

“Yes my dear,” He says and continues down the hall and enters the third door.

“Here this way, he will be a moment.” Toriel says leading me back towards the entrance.

Once there we continue on and enter the left hall this time. Here we come upon their living room.

This time the color scheme matches rest of the house, but much less decorated than the rest of the home had been. Some comfortable looking chairs surround the fireplace and on the other side of the room a large dining table sits with wooden chairs arranged around it and a potted plant in the center. A bookcase near the fireplace being some of the few decorations of the room, is filled with various worn looking books of many colors and sizes.

Toriel walks towards the fireplace and says “Here come take a seat by the fire and get warm.” She leans down and summons some more of her magic and casts it into the fireplace.

Not wanting to, I hesitate. I know it is still too early to try and escape, but I do not want to go over there.

“This will be where you sleep for tonight young one. Will that be alright with you?” Toriel asks, now turning and realizing that I haven’t moved from the doorway.

I just shake my head even as I see another question about to reach her lips. But she pauses, concerned and confused.

“Was there somewhere else you would rather stay then?” She asks.

Not trusting my words I move to the far side of the room and sit down in the left corner of the room behind the table. As far away from that spot as I can.

Toriel walks over, her expression not changed much and simply sits down against the wall as well. Far enough away that I’m not too uneasy, enough space between us that I could run away if need be, if she didn’t use her magic that is, but I don’t want to think about that.

“You know you might get cold over here, these wooden floors may be much easier to clean, but they carry no heat, even more so at night.”  She says.

I just shake my head again and remain silent. My eyes locked on the ground, not daring to look around.

Several moments pass by like this, the only sounds are of Toriel’s soft breathing nearby and the crackling sounds coming from the fire across the room. Until she finally decides speaks up again.

“Child, I… I do not know what you were doing when you fell down here. I also do not know what thoughts are passing through you with all that has now happened and what we have told you. But I know you do not trust us yet, I know that you fear us as well.” She raises a hand like she wishes to touch me, but rethinks it and lowers it again. “You have no reason not to. Especially with how we first greeted you.”

“But know, all we have told you has been the truth. You are safe here. And no matter how much some of us might wish it, there is no chance of escape for any in the underground, human or monsters. They made sure of it back then when the barrier was created.”

She pauses again, maybe to let her words set in or possible to think on them herself. The sounds of her fidgeting with her hands tell me she is far from done or satisfied with what she has said so far.

”I know that we have all just met, but it is important that you know all this. You coming here changes things. Things that have been the same since as long back as most can remember. This will be a sensitive time.”

“But know also that we harbor no ill will towards you for your humanity. The humans that sparked the conflict so long ago were only afraid, afraid of our power. The fear of the few spread to the many and then there was no returning to the way things had been.”

”But we do not hate them for this. Most of us who are old enough to remember the surface, to know humanity, we know the good in you all. We know the compassion, the love, and the fear.”

“So we do not despise you for what you are, we are only happy that you are alright little one. And Asriel has seemed to have taken a liking to you as well.”

Toriel smiles warmly, looking tired for reasons other than the magic she used today. Footsteps sound from behind us and Asgore walks in with bedding.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” He says placing down the bedding near the fire. “This should suffice to keep you comfortable for tonight, if not do not hesitate to speak with us.” Asgore smiles as he adjusts the bedding and prepares it for me. All while unknowing of what he had interrupted.

“Bring it over here, my dear, please.” Toriel’s vitality now returned, she stands and points towards the bedding.

Asgore somewhat confused, but not wanting to argue, picks it back up and brings it over.

Toriel steps out of the way and Asgore sets it back up again ever so gently and then backs smiling, but tired, to admire his work.

“Thank you dear.” Toriel says giving him a quick hug to his side.

Asgore then gives an affirmative hum and leans against the table.

“Why not get some sleep little one? Things will be easier in the morning after we all have gotten some rest.” Toriel says and then looks to Asgore. “Let us get some sleep as well. I will meet you there in just a moment.”

“Yes, my dear. But do not stay up too late now, we all need to get rest after today.” Asgore says as he leaves.

Toriel smiles toward him as she loses sight of him. “Now come on my child. Let’s get you in bed.”

Instead of standing, I reach over and grab onto the blankets and pull them to me, into the corner. Ready now to speed things up, I cover myself and try to look like I want to sleep. The sooner she leaves, the sooner I can escape. I get farther into the bedding and pull up the covers over my dirty clothing. She smiles a knowing sad smile.

“Good good. Now sleep well young one.” She walks a few feet towards the exit, but then turns back to face me.

“Please child, I only have one request of you. Please do not do anything rash tonight. I know you are afraid, but you are safe here. Please think on what I have said, before you make any decisions. Goodnight child.” And with that she leaves.

What does she know, she doesn’t know anything about me. She acts as if she wants to help, but how could she. What does she want from me? If what she says is true then how could she possibly feel that way? It doesn’t make sense. She must by lying or hiding something.

Deep in my dark thoughts as I often find myself I blink and when I open my eyes again I find myself in darkness. The fire had gone out.

Idiot, I scold myself, how could I have let myself fall asleep. How much time has passed, is it too late to get away?

I push back the covers and quickly stand, dizzy with sleep still clouding my mind. Looking around, I have no idea of the time. How can they even tell it down here?

I sneak to the doorway and peak through. It’s dark, but I can’t see anyone. The door that we came in from is closed, if I make it through it I’ll be gone from here forever.

Just a few steps.

I dash to the front door, quickly turning the cold handle and pulling it open a crack, there wasn’t even a lock. Now in the strange light of outside I sprint to the sapling, happy my legs are working again.

I can go anywhere I want now, but I had failed to actually ask about this place well enough. Any direction could be a bad choice, so I guess it really doesn’t matter which one I take.

Decision made I step away to leave, but I pause. I need to think things through. I know how to survive well enough, I learned that long ago. But I need to think, I can’t let my fear control me here.

Turning around I rush back to the house, but instead of entering, I take a seat on the leaves near the door.

I need to make a plan before going back inside. I need supplies. I need food, clothing, something to protect myself with. I can’t risk getting close to their bedrooms though. The room next to where I slept will be my only option and perhaps whatever was down those stairs.

Slipping back in to find anything I might need, only one thought keeps repeating in my mind.

Sorry lady, I don’t make promises.


	3. Chara's Safe Spot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara get's a place of their own.

Getting supplies had been easier than expected, there was plenty in the room next to where I’d been sleeping, now I know it was a kitchen. Everyone had still been fast asleep, so getting in and out wasn’t a problem.

I’ve got enough food now to last a few days, maybe a more if I’m careful. There hadn’t been much else of use for me, at least that I could see, and I don’t dare go exploring the rest of the place. I’ll just have to find anything else I  might need later. But I can worry about that tomorrow, tonight I need to find a place to hide and store what I have. That lady didn’t know what she’s talking about, there has to be a way out of here, but it’s gonna take some time to find, I need a place to hide until then.

Moving away from the house again, this time much more carefully, quietly scolding myself for being reckless running about from one place to another earlier. Getting past the tree, I don’t give it a second look before going towards the doorway and peeking out into the next room.

“Damnit,” I whisper to myself.

A small monster sits by the right door, dozing against the wall. That had been the door that I was brought through, I had wanted to go back that way. The monster is a peculiar little thing, like a large frog, with another face on its chest as well. Its eyes are like clear marbles, glazed over and almost lifeless. They stare intently at the wall opposite from it. The eyes of the face on its chest seemed to be closed however. A small flickering of their eye lids and the soft groaning sound from the monster hopefully means it is asleep. But even if it is, I don’t dare try to pass by it, not unless I have to.

The doorway on my left is my best hope now and I can’t wait any longer, I have to get out of here quickly, who knows when Asriel and them will wake up.

I take the plunge, stepping out into the next room and walking quietly to the left doorway. Risking a last glance over my shoulder before I leave the room behind and the little monster hasn’t moved. Either it really is asleep or just doesn’t care. Either way I’ll take it.

The next hallway is nothing special, just another purple room, this time with no monsters in it. Halfway through and ready for the next I stop. There’s something wrong here, it’s so strange, there’s a breeze coming from ahead. We’re underground aren’t we? That shouldn’t be possible.

Curiosity peaked I walk into the next room. Quickly I scold myself again for being stupid, walking around without checking for people first is gonna get me killed, but my train of thought crashes to a halt from the sight of the next room.

A city, larger than any I’ve ever seen. Much larger than the small town I spent my time in recently. Buildings unlike I’ve ever seen before sprawled out for as far as I can see. Taller than I thought was possible, they loom above me, looking like buildings of a castle, from a little kid’s book. The ones nearer to me are made of the same purple bricks that everything else I’ve seen has been made of, but farther out I see different kinds of buildings, even a large domed one with what looks like a bell placed on top.

There’s no way that I’m still underground, they must have brought me back to the surface when I was wrapped up. They lied to me.

Looking up though I know that’s not true, it’s not right, nothing is. There’s no stars, no clouds, no moon. Straining my eyes into the darkness I can see a wall, a roof, a ceiling. Encasing the city down here. The amazement of finding such a large unexpected city drains away. A tight ball starts to form deep in my chest. An old friend returning from such a brief break away. And with it dread, a smothering feeling, one that makes the simple task of taking in a breath a challenge meant for the strong, not for the weak.

I dig my nails into my thigh, focusing on the pain. It is not the time for this. They’ll be looking for me soon. Taking in a deep breath of the stale air that permeates this place and releasing it, I let go of my leg as well. Inspecting it to make sure it wasn’t too bad, the marks left behind hurt, but hopefully won’t bleed.

Regaining my footing, that I don’t remember losing, I look for a way into the city.

Actually looking around now I find that I’m actually quite high up, a platform of some kind with a large courtyard down below.

Panic strikes as I can’t find a way down, this seems to be a dead end. I don’t want to go back and have to sneak by that frog monster. Trying to figure out what to do, a solution presents itself. Far onto the right wall of the platform there’s something barely visible hanging off the edge. Grasping on and I try to pull it up, but it doesn’t move. Squinting, trying to pierce the darkness I can see a step below the rope and a few more after that as well. A rope ladder.

I’ve never been afraid of heights, but this just seems stupid. There has to be a safer way down. But if there is, it’ll probably be past that stupid frog and I can’t risk that.

Taking my little bag of food, I tie it tightly around my neck. Pulling it away it seems to hold well enough. I’ll need both my hands for this if I don’t want to take another fall. One last glance back towards where I came from, I start my descent.

It wasn’t as bad as I expected, the ladder must have been tied to something at the bottom, because it hadn’t wobbled at all. There hadn’t been a problem until about half way down when the bag on my neck got snagged on one of the steps. It almost came untied and I would have lost it, but a quick grab for it while also hugging onto the rope for my life, I managed to save both it and myself. After tying it back on tight, maybe a bit too tight, I kept going on and got to the bottom without any more issues.

The rope ladder ends at the edge of the courtyard and I realize it’s a lot larger than it seems from up above. I wonder what it’s used for.

It doesn’t matter. I start making my way west, away from where the ladder had been, hopefully to lose anyone that may try to find me. And west seems as good as any direction since I don’t know where I am. At least I think it’s west, hard to tell without being able to see the sun or moon.

Making it to the first building I smile to how lucky I am that this place is so dark, either because it’s lacking the artificial daylight that I saw earlier, maybe because it is supposed to be night now, or maybe this place is just dark like it should be, since we are underground. Hopefully the latter so I won’t have to worry about being found once day breaks.

Making my way from the darkness of one building to the next, stopping in silence when the rare monster crosses my path, I try to think of a good place to go. I need to find a place where monsters wouldn’t stumble upon me. But I somehow doubt I’ll find anything like I used to stay in.

Continuing my search around for at least an hour or two, it’s hard to keep track with a place like this. But even if my mind can’t keep time, my body can and it’s beginning to ache from the constant walking and the heavy load of my food. I had thought about leaving it somewhere safe to return for it later, but I have no idea where I am, if I left it behind I’d likely never be able to find it again. I can’t give up my search, if I do I’ll surely be found, but knowing this really isn’t keeping me going very well. Definitely not for much longer. That short nap back in their house seems so long ago now, had it ever actually happened?

My last dredges of strength beginning to sputter I take a break next to someone’s doorstep. It can’t be long now. Monsters will be flooding the area as soon as they wake up. And what will they do to a stupid evil human they find. One that’s weak and defenseless. Well maybe not defenseless, but what would a stupid little pocket knife do to something the size of a car like Asgore, or to someone who can summon fire like Toriel. I wouldn’t stand a chance.

Reaching into the bag of food I grab one of those berries that I tried earlier and pop it into my mouth. The little rush of energy I get from it is nice, it soothes some of my aches, but it really isn’t as strong as I would’ve liked. It seems that they have a limit on just how useful they can be, and even if they didn’t I don’t dare eat any more, I need to save this it or I’ll be screwed later.

Eyeing the other berries covetously, I close the bag and get back on my feet. There has to be somewhere. Taking another deep breath to calm the twisting knot of worry that was tightening in my chest, I smell a hint of something familiar. Soil and trees. A certain smell you can only really get from a forest or a park. One that I’ve grown to know well, when not sleeping elsewhere, the forest on the edge of town was the best place to be. The only place I could really feel safe.

I take another deep sniff focusing this time to make sure I hadn’t just imagined it with my sleep addled brain. But no it’s definitely there. Nearby there must be some kind of greenery and with that hopefully a hiding place.

With new hope I rush off in search, a second wind filling my lungs, or maybe a better name would be a last wind, since if I don’t find something soon I won’t get another chance.

I make sure not to travel too far away from where I first noticed the scent, in fear that if I go in the wrong direction I may lose it forever. Quickly turning past another corner, probably much too quickly since I am trying to be stealthy, but the excitement had gotten to me, another thing to scold myself for later, I see it. The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. A large towering oak sits at the end of the path, tall enough to challenge even the buildings nearby it.

Getting closer to the last hope I have there’s more, so many more. More than should be possible. The monsters must have used their magic to grow these. But it’s not just some trees, stepping into the treeline, there’s a whole breathtaking forest tangled in front of me. Much thicker with foliage than the one I knew above ground.

This will be perfect. No one will be able to find me in here, if I’m lucky I’ll be able to find food as well so I won’t have to steal any, that’s only ever gotten me in trouble in the past.

This’ll be the place I stay, with its twisted woods, chest high bushes, and dark shadows cast by the tree cover high above. I can be safe here, for a time at least. Until I find my way back to the surface.

I walk a few minutes deeper into the woods, careful to keep myself oriented so as not to get lost. The excitement of finally finding a place to sleep had killed the last echoes of my energy, I squeeze into a particularly large bush that had been just a few steps away. With my bag of food wrapped in my arms, I curl up into a ball and let sleep take me away. Ready for what the next day might bring.

* * *

 

Daylight woke me, what felt like seconds later, but who knows how long had really passed. I had tried to sit up to start the day, but my body had refused. I chose to let it win and return to sleep, there would be time later to be mad at myself for wasting sunlight.

And mad I am, I need the light to find somewhere good to stay in here. I’m such an idiot, what if I get caught now because I haven’t found a good place to hide. I need somewhere to be in the day, so I can go out during the night.

Mad at myself I decide the best punishment is to not eat any breakfast. My body grumbles in complaint, but I let it suffer, it’s what got me into the problem in the first place.

Carefully I look around and listen for anyone nearby before trying to pull myself from the bush. But all I can hear is the crinkling of the leaves as the wind blows by above and the chattering of insects around me.

Pulling myself out of the bush ends up being more difficult than expected, my sweater choosing to betray me and snag on everything it possibly could on the way out. Finally wiggling out victoriously, I inspect myself for any damage.

A few new bug bites in various spots, some scabs starting to build on my thigh from my stupid thing last night, but nothing bad. Nothing I can’t handle. My sweater however had received some more serious damage, a few strands of yarn pulled out at different spots. Oh well, it deserved it. Checking my food I make sure no bugs had gotten into it, but then close it quickly so as not to tempt myself. Taking in my surroundings, there’s nothing left to do before I start my search.

Trying to remember the direction I had come into the woods from, I head the opposite way. I really hadn’t gone in far enough last night to have been safe. A wandering monster could have easily stumbled upon me.

I make my way in deeper, careful to watch my footing, if I hurt myself now it would be over for me. The thick foliage of this forest will be nice to hide away in, but it is much harder to travel in than I’m used to. The woods above had been open, with the ground covered mostly in flora. This place felt more like a jungle, with plants and bushes growing up the sides of trees, some so large that it blocked the way entirely. I’ll need to make certain that I mark the way out once I find a spot.

About an hour later I don’t feel like I’ve made much progress, so I’m pretty surprised to have reached the end. A large rock wall marks as far as I can go in that direction. Leaning against it, craning my neck far up to the sky I see that I’m at the edge of the cavern that the city is built in. High above I can just see through the leaves where the wall begins to curve and become the ceiling. This forest hadn’t been as large as I hoped, but it was stupid to have expected more. There’s only so much space down here, I’m lucky that it even exists.

Trying not to kill my mood, I continue on, following the wall to the north, farther away from where I started the better. I need to find something soon though, I’m near the center of the forest now, I think, if I go too far any other way I’ll be getting closer to the city.

A few more minutes pass and I start thinking about leaving the wall behind, it’ll be easier to get lost without it, but I’m not having any luck so far. Pushing past a particularly large bush and about to head back east into the forest. I find a spot. A spot with a lot of potential.

I walk around it inspecting my possible new resting place. It looked perfect. That bush I had just passed by isn’t normal, it had grown over a fallen tree that had crashed down against the rock wall. Moving to the far side of the bush, peaking in with my head against the rock, I can see an open area hidden inside.

I push my way in, pulling the greenery away from the wall, but being careful so that it could be replaced later. Getting inside there’s a large open area, more space than I could have hoped for. And no signs of anyone else ever being here. This could be it, my safe spot.

The bush is almost completely hollow, growing out and away from the log that leans above me. The vines around it are thick and twisted falling down from the wood like a willow tree. The log itself looks like it has been here a long time, its rotten bark only somewhat visible through the vines wrapping around it. The vines are the only things keeping it from crumbling down to the earth now.

Little light can penetrate the walls of the bush, so being able to see anything will be a problem, but with the lack of light, not many plants have been able to grow on the floor of this safe haven. Mostly dead plants and dirt. Perfect for a place to stay.

There are some rocks scattered across the ground that I’ll have to dig out, but if I can find myself a blanket to cover the dirt floor with, this place could actually be comfortable. It’s perfect.

Proud of how good a place I found for myself I decide on a reward of two whole berries. Grabbing them out of my bag I plop them both in my mouth, that strange rush of energy filling me and boosting my mood even higher. I know I should have eaten them slower, little bites over time so that they felt like a real meal, but my stomach was still angry with me from this morning and it took control.

Shifting around I move into a more comfortable position, scooting over to a spot where there aren’t any rocks. Now that I have woken my stomach up it’s restless, all I can do is stare into the bag of food, imagining myself diving face first into it and eating until there is nothing left. But I don’t, I can’t. This has to last, I don’t know how long. Asriel had mentioned that this stuff lasts for a really long time, that it doesn’t even need to be cooled. I hope he knows what he’s talking about. Or maybe not, if they do start to spoil I can just eat them all instead. My stomach gives a happy little grumble in reply, it must really like that idea.

I shift again, this time laying down. I’ve gotta push some branches out of the way to have enough space, but once their gone the dirt floor isn’t too bad, a little cold, but I’ve had a lot worse. The exertion from my earlier hike through the woods is finally starting to creep up on me. The energy I was awarded from the excitement of finding somewhere safe is fleeting and slowly trickles away.

Now that I’ve achieved my goal, a lot faster than I had expected really, I need to figure out what to do next. I need to find some blankets, or sleeping bags, or warm clothes, something that’ll warm this place up. I can’t allow myself to get sick, if I do… I don’t know if there is any going back after that. I need to find more food too, preferably a source somewhere in the forest, but if need be, the city. I can’t take too much from there or it might become obvious someone is stealing, so I’ll need to find multiple places I could scrounge from.

But most importantly, I need to find information. Finding my way out has to be the first priority. The idea of returning to the surface, makes my nearly empty stomach flip in disgust and I can almost taste bile in my throat. But what other options do I have. At least on the surface I was only shunned and ignored. I could do as I liked, I knew how to avoid people, and as long as I did that they had no reason to hurt me. Most of the time.

But down here…

Down here if I were found out they would kill me on the spot. Even if I escaped there would be a manhunt and they’d drag me out of this place and do who knows what to me. They could eat me, torture me, break me.

I hadn’t noticed when I had begun to shake, but now I can’t seem to control it, and it has little to do with the cold dirt floor below me. _Take a deep breath, deeper than you think you can, so much air in that you think you’re gonna burst, then let it out, as quickly as you can, blow all the air from your lungs until you can’t stand it anymore. Now do it again, and again. You need to stop being an idiot._

Starting to calm down from my little episode I scold myself, I can’t keep doing this. This weakness is gonna get me killed. I’m not gonna get caught by the monsters, I know how to hide. If I make sure to only go out at night when everyone is sleeping there’s no way anyone will find me and with how dark it’ll be even if someone does notice me, they probably won’t even be able to tell I’m human.

Finally giving in I squirm a bit for the last time getting in a good position to try and get some sleep. There’s no way I’m going out again today, that can wait for later. Beginning to grow drowsy, my thoughts begin to drift.

I’m just lucky that stupid fluffy idiot was the one who found me. He must have been too young to understand what was going on, that must be why he helped me.

And his parents, I don’t really know why they did all that, probably just didn’t want to kill me in front of their kid, since he obviously didn’t understand what was going on. That’s probably why they healed me too, they didn’t want the fluffball to feel bad for what he did to me.

I wonder what they told him now that I’m gone, that I returned to the surface, that I found somewhere else to live. I wonder if that’s what they would have told him after they killed me, if I had decided to stay.

I need to stop being stupid and get some sleep, night will be here soon.

Making a final final movement and I clear my mind to wait for sleep to take me.

* * *

 

It’s been two days now and three nights since I found this place and after a trip out each night for supplies, it’s starting to come together nicely. I had found this huge cushiony blanket on my second night out, it had been in someone’s garbage. It smelled kinda weird, but it was dry and big. It had been perfect for the floor of my little spot.

I had called the night short after I found that blanket and went back with it, not wanting to risk stashing it anywhere and losing it. Once I got back I had to start the laborious task of digging up the rocks in the ground so I wouldn’t hurt myself stepping on them over the blanket. That took some time, but with my pocket knife I was able to dig them all out.

Once I had the blanket down though I realized that the holes left behind by the rocks were almost as annoying as the rocks themselves, so to my annoyance I had to bring the blanket back up and smooth out the ground more. By the time I had finished daylight had started to shine in the tiny little cracks that could make it through the vines. And with it my last hopes of returning back to the city to find more that night were dashed. But I didn’t really care, tired from the work and exploring before I just got some sleep.

The first night my main focus had been food and to my delight I was able to find a small source of it in the woods. It was far from my spot, much farther than I would have liked and it was to the south east, towards the direction I had originally come from, a lot closer to the city than I’m comfortable with. But so far that’s all I’ve been able to find. It’s a bush, much smaller than mine, that grows the same berries that I had taken with me. It’s so small though, it won’t support me for very long even if I’m careful. If I have to stay here for more than a couple weeks it’ll be a problem, but hopefully that won’t be the case.

I don’t plan on staying here any longer than I need to. And with that thought in mind, I went out searching on the third night, this time for information. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, I don’t dare talk to any monsters and it would be stupid to break into anyone’s houses with them sleeping inside. I had needed to find somewhere with information, that no one would be around at night.

My first thought had been a library. On the surface I had hidden on occasion in the library. The first time it had been just to find somewhere warm for the night, it had been really cold and wet that night. My usual place I stayed had been taken over by someone else, so I had to find somewhere quick. I had hidden between aisles and snuck around avoiding the staff until they all left for the night.

Once I was alone though my paranoia wouldn’t let me sleep, I had been worried that someone might return at any moment, or that I might oversleep and be caught. So instead of sleep I used what I had around me to pass the time, look at all the books.

I had never really read before, not when more important things had needed to be worried about, but I could read, kinda, one of the few things useful I got from when I was younger. And there were just so many books there, such a large variety I hadn’t realized that there were that many different ways to string a sentence together to fill up so many books.

And they weren’t just filled with words either, some had pictures in them, and most had pictures on the cover as well showing what the story was about. That first night I had spent more time looking at the covers of the books and trying to imagine what the stories inside would be about, than actually doing any reading myself. Some had lots of violence and death and anger on the covers, I don’t know why anyone would have wanted to read a story like that, I didn’t really like those ones. But some had such nice images as well, some were just so colorful you almost couldn’t tell what was going on, others had such happy looking people on it, and others were of just open landscapes, no one and nothing in the way.

I liked those kinds of books better and curling up with a few of them in a comfy little chair, I had spent the night reading.

And that wasn’t the last time I stayed there, I wasn’t stupid enough to do it every night, but whenever it was too cold out for me to stand it, or whenever I had nowhere else to go, I always ended up back there.

But that could only last for so long, eventually I ruined things, like I always do. It had been particularly cold the last couple days and it had even begun snow recently. I hadn’t really been getting much sleep because of the cold, if I fell asleep, I might never wake back up.

So, tired and not feeling well I made my way to the library, my safe place, and did the usual routine waiting for all the staff to leave. I found my favorite book, one with so many bright and happy colors throughout it, and curled up in my favorite chair. I only got through a few pages of the book before I had drifted off.

When I had awoken, I didn’t even remember starting to fall asleep. But I didn’t really have the chance to think about it, because a tall older lady, with long grey hair had been standing there in front of me. She had been the one who woke me up. I had stared up at her with my wide terrified eyes locked on her, but she only had a smile, a soft thing that I still don’t really understand. She was probably just happy she found me so she could turn me in.

But I didn’t let her have the chance, I bolted, jumping over the arm of the chair and making my way straight for the exit, luckily it had been unlocked from when the lady had come in.

I never went back there after that night, I couldn’t. I know they must have been watching for me now. I’d  never be safe there again.

Pushing back those stupid thoughts of the past, I needed to stay focused or I was gonna mess up things a lot worse than I did back then. I didn’t even know if monsters have libraries, or if they even read.

But that wasn’t true as I eventually remembered, I had seen books at Asriel’s place. And that thought had kept me going to try and find something. And find something I did.

Finally getting back to my spot, light already shining through the leaves above. I had stayed out much too late. I had been stupid, but I didn’t want to go back without anything. And it’s so good that I didn’t come back earlier, with this I might be able to find my way out. With this book I can figure out what’s really going on. I just hope it’s up to date.

Sitting down in my comfy spot on my blanket, away from the stain on the other side that smells the worst, I hold the book in my lap and rub my fingers against its rough spine, “History of Monsterkind”.

The name of it was a little blunt, but this could be everything I needed. It might even have maps of down here to show exactly how to get out, if it’s anything like other books I’ve seen.

Opening it up I check the index, I’ll read the whole thing eventually, but for now I’m looking for something.

The first three quarters of the book isn’t really that interesting to me, if the index is any indication, mostly focusing on politics and other stupid stuff, but the last three sections, chapters eight, nine, and ten, my make my stomach drop to the floor.

INDEX

….

  1. Relocation of Capitol City Pg. 182
  2. Monster and Human War Pg. 200
  3. The Barrier Pg. 258
  4. The Underground Pg. 300



 

This can’t be right, I quickly flip toward the page where the info on the barrier started, but with my sudden fear I forget the page number, groaning with frustration I look back at the index and  find the page.

This book is a little more wordy than I would usually prefer and just looking at the whole wall of text hurts my eyes. Trying to skim over it I start to realize there are a lot of words in here I don’t know or can’t understand. The pit of fear that was already clawing at my belly starts to creep it’s black tendrils deep down into my legs, all the way to my toes. Far up into my arms wrapping around my fingers. Up even farther, following my spine until it’s clouding up my mind.

A few lines stick out to me even though I feel as if I can barely see now.

“ _Seven of their greatest magicians sealed us underground with a magic spell. Trapped behind the barrier and fearful of further human attacks, we retreated. Far into the earth we walked, until we reached the cavern’s end. This was our new home, which we named… Home.”_

She had been telling the truth. There’s really no way out.


	4. Reunited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asriel is unhappy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the next are my favorite ones I've written so far, hope you enjoy.  
> Happy reading.

I wake with a start, my face smooshed against the book that had been on my lap, but now is a particularly uncomfortable pillow. Raising my head, the pages stick to my face and I can’t help but let out a groan of annoyance. Pulling them away though, regret takes its place. A wet splotch of drool is left behind on the book, checking it, it goes down multiple pages.

I don’t remember falling asleep. The last thing that happened was the book, I read those lines and I panicked. I couldn’t breathe right, I couldn’t stop shaking. I guess I passed out.

Looking up and around, light is still trickling in from above, it must still be day. Don’t really know what to do now, maybe try to sleep more, but I’m not really tired. Maybe I should eat something, my stomach grumbles in agreement, but I can’t. I should wait until tonight so I don’t have to go out as hungry.

But...

Am I even gonna go out tonight, what would I be going for, I got what I needed, I got my number one priority and it stabbed me in the heart. What am I supposed to do now?

Grabbing myself a berry I indulge in my self-pity, this time taking it slowly, tiniest bites I can manage and still be able to enjoy it. I’ve started to get used to the taste of them now, they were good to start with, but so different from what I’m used to. That rush of energy that comes with every bite though, it still feels wrong, I doubt that will ever go away.

Eating’s calmed me down, just a tad, and I can start thinking again without dread blocking my thoughts.

This book could be years old, hundreds of years maybe, even though it didn’t look like it. There’s no way for me to know if this information is up to date, they could have found a way past the barrier a long time ago. And even if they haven’t, there might be another way. I need to try and read more of it.

Finished with the berry I ponder the pros and cons of starting on another, but I'm pulled back to reality. I heard something.

Quickly, but as silent as I can, I move from my lounged position, to crouching, straining my ears for any more sounds. And there are more, footsteps, nearby. Very light, but loud enough that it has to be close.

Pulling my knife out from my side pocket I open it up, doubt it could really do anything to help, but it makes me feel safer. My eyes dart around looking for the best way out if I need to run, but there’s really only one way. The entrance. I could try to rip myself out through the vines, but it could just as easily get me stuck on some of the thorns or branches as it could lead me to my freedom.

I’m trapped, if they come for me I’m trapped.

I’m starting to shake again, but this isn’t the time for that, my only chance is that they don’t find me in here. I picked this place because no one can see into it from the outside, because the foliage was so thick no one would ever bother with this huge bush. They’ll just pass by and be on their way, never bothering me, never knowing I’m here.

But then the footsteps stop and all that’s left is silence, even the leaves above and the bugs below don’t dare to break it now.

But the one outside does. Three quick light steps towards the entrance of my spot and I can feel my heart stop beating, my blood turns cold. There’s no way out for me, I’ll have to fight. I’ve been in fights before, but running was always how I ended them.

But I can’t do that here. There’s no way to go, even if there was, if a monster knew I was here it would be over for me, they’d all go searching for me. If I fight, I have to win. I have to kill whatever comes through there.

My hands won’t stop shaking, so much I’m not sure I’ll be able to even keep ahold of the knife let alone stab anyone. And multiple times, their blood gushing out onto me, I can’t do this.

And what if their big, what if their huge like Asgore was, what if they can do magic, that first time I saw Asgore and Toriel hits me like a punch to the face, when they realized what I was, the look of panic they gave me, the look of hatred. The flames that surrounded them.

I don’t want to be burned.

The vines that hold the entrance closed against the rock wall begin to rustle, whatever’s outside wants to come inside. I stand still as a statue, but my hands still defy me, I still can’t seem to control them. Hoping against logic that it’ll give up and leave.

But with a final tug the entrance is pulled open, light blazes into the darkness and my fate is sealed. It’s kill or be killed.

* * *

 

“Chara, are, uh, are you in here?” A short white muzzle says as it pokes in. It’s voice filled with doubt and sounds tired.

He pushes his whole head in now to look around, a frown placed frozen on his face and dark bags around his eyes. His once clean white fur, now messy with a brown dirty tint with various green stains like he’d been rolling around in the grass or sitting against a tree. His green and yellow sweater looks just as worn, strands pulled out and holes left from the worst of it.

But despite all that, when his head pokes in and his gaze falls upon me, his face lights up like nothing I’ve ever seen before. The sun from behind him blazes through his fur and paints him in a golden light and I can almost imagine him with a mane like his fathers.

“Chara! Finally I found you, I’ve been looking everywhere for yo-“ And his voice cuts off, his eyes flickers to fear as he looks down and sees my hands. My hands that have stopped shaking now. My hands that are pointing right at him. My hands that are still holding the knife.

“Chara?” He says uncertain, a note of fear in his voice,

I look at the knife too and back up to him, my gaze keeps flicking between the two, but I don’t lower it. My mind is racing, but I also feel like I hit a brick wall. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to say. How did he find me? Is he alone? Are his parent’s outside as well? Have they told him what I am yet, what I really am?

My brain still mush from the adrenaline from before I’m only able to flop out one question, and it’s so stupid.

“Asriel,” my voice croaks a little from the lack of use over the last few days, “what are you doing here?”

 He lets out a little giggle, but it sounds more from fear than humor.

“I’ve been looking for you.”

Idiot, he already told me that, why’d I ask him that. But I can’t help but to ask another stupid one.

“Why?”

He crinkles up his brow a little and a small little smile comes back to him, that doesn’t reach his eyes. They are still shrouded in fear and the bags below them seem deeper than before. Ever so slowly though he brings his eyes away from the knife and places them on me.

“What do you mean why? You disappeared, I was worried about you, we all were.”

“Are they here with you?” I say with a hiss.

“Who? Mom and dad?” He continues when I don’t say anything.” No. They don’t know I’ve been looking for you. They’re always really busy with work so they haven’t really had the chance to look for you at all. And they didn’t want to tell anyone else about it to ask for help, cause, well, you know. They were hoping you would just come back eventually or someone would find you.”

Good, that’s good. There might be a way out of this. The kids stupid, I might be able to convince him to keep things quiet. I’ll still have to leave this place behind, but it’s nothing I haven’t had to do before. I need to do this carefully. He might be lying to me.

“But why are you here? What do you want from me?”

“I-I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You had been hurt so badly before and you left so suddenly. And you really don’t know this place very well, you could have ended up anywhere. And you didn’t really take that much food with you when you left.”

Guilt twists in my gut, so they had noticed then that I had taken their food. On the surface I tried really hard not steal when I could so I wouldn’t draw attention to myself, most anything I ever needed I could find thrown out by someone eventually. But when I did have to steal I had never felt bad about it before, they had always been faceless people that I was taking from, they didn’t really need whatever I had taken. I needed it. But here Asriel is now, anything but faceless, and he isn’t even mad that I stole from him. He’s such an idiot.

“I’m fine. I can take care of myself.” My stomach decides this is an opportune time to disagree, now that it had been woken up by the talk of food, and makes the loudest and angriest noise it can manage.

Asriel hearing my stomach’s plea goes straight for the bag that he has strapped behind his back, that I hadn’t noticed was there until now. With his sudden movement I reflexively take a step back, keeping the knife raised up between us. With the step I also let out the most embarrassing little squeak I can imagine. Seems like I can’t control my lungs any better than my stomach.

Asriel freezes, mid grabbing for his bag, and his eyes are once again locked on the knife. He takes a breath, brings his eyes back up to me, much quicker than he had managed last time.

“It’s okay, calm down. I’m sorry I startled you. I have some food here,” He gestures towards his bag, “if it’s okay with you, I was gonna get it out for you.”

“I don’t need any of your food, I have my own.” I spit at him, trying not to think about the fact that the food I have was originally his as well. Not having added at all to it yet from the berry bush I found, just in case they do start to spoil.

“But you only took a day or two’s worth of food with you when you left. And it’s been almost four days now.” His fake little smile turns to a sour look of concern as he starts glancing around me.

That, was unexpected, I didn’t want to take too much from them in hopes that they wouldn’t notice, but I thought I had taken enough for at least a week with how careful I’ve been. They were different from human food right, they turned straight into energy, I shouldn’t have had to eat as many.

“I didn’t know.” I say.

“Didn’t know what?” His concern apparent.

Embarrassed now I can feel my cheeks flush red, I don’t want to answer, but he’s just standing there waiting for me.

“I didn’t think I’d have to eat as much, since it was different from human food.” I mumble.

“Haven’t you been hungry?” His concern tinged with fear now, but somehow different than before.

“I’m used to being hungry,” I don’t know why I’m still talking anymore. “I thought that since it turned straight to energy it didn’t need to go to my stomach, so I’d always just be hungry.”

“That’s silly, we couldn’t be walking around every day if we were all really hungry. Nothing would ever get done.” He pauses then, deep in his own thoughts. He then furrows his brow and gives me an intense look as he continues. “Chara…”

“How much have you eaten since you left?”

I don’t want to answer this, I’m an idiot yeah, but that’s none of his business. How was I supposed to know how monster food worked. I needed to conserve it anyways, so even more reason to eat less. Yeah I went a little too far with it and I guess it makes sense why I’ve been so damn tired recently, but why does he care. It’s nothing to do with hi-

“Chara?” He asks again, his voice cracking half way through. Raising my gaze back up to him, he looks like he’s gonna cry. The little baby.

I sigh, and it’s a big one, this is all just so stupid. I would have figured it out eventually.

“Like six or seven berries, I dunno.”

I don’t want to look up at him again, but I do. A planned glance up to his face, gets stuck there as I see his shock at what I’d said. But that wasn’t all that’s there, he looks angry, more than I could imagine that furry little face of his could produce. He looked disgusted by me. I guess he finally realized how worthless I really am.

He moves again for his bag without saying anything and that’s when I realize that I had brought the knife down at some point, it had just been sitting in my hand at my side. I raise it back up, but don’t move and don’t make a sound.

He doesn’t stop what he’s doing, not even looking at me anymore. He pulls something out of the bag and raises it up in front of him, holding it in both hands. His head bowed between his arms and his gaze fixed on the ground he never looks up to me. He takes a step towards me despite the knife still being between us. Tears starting to pour from his eyes and drip down onto my blanket below him.

He never raises his gaze.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry Chara.”

He takes another step.

“I should have found you sooner.”

Another step.

“I should have stopped you or helped you if you really had wanted to leave.”

A final step.

“But please, please, don’t let your anger at me make you hurt yourself. Please eat something.”

He finally raises his gaze up to me his tears still coursing through his fur. And I don’t know what he sees. It can’t be me, not my crooked teeth, my blotchy skin, my miscolored eyes. I don’t know what he sees, but it’s not me.

All I see is the knife, raised up between us, inches from where his face had been. My arm still raised out holding it, now below both of his own outstretched arms. My hands now steady as stone, not daring to move. The cold old pocket knife, held within, it’s blade dulled by lack of care and regular use. The tip still ever so sharp despite everything it’s been through. The fur that covers the tip of the knife, soft fur, white like fresh snow. And the heart I know lays just below it. Just next to the knife’s tip.

One step and it could all be over, I could stay here safe, no one knows where Asriel is right now. He said so himself. His parent’s must not care where I am or they would have come looking. I could be free.

I open my palm and the knife falls from my grasp, it lands between his two bare feet, blade down cutting through the blanket and impaling the ground.

Asriel never moves, his gaze still focused on something I can’t understand. His hands steady with the package between them. His hands next to my soul as well.

And then I step away. I lower my arm and take a step back never removing my gaze from his own. I take the package, take another step back and another, never turning my back to him. Reaching the edge of the area I take a seat against the vines.

Asriel as still as a statue that I once thought he was, hasn’t moved an inch since I took the package. Seeing me sit, he now collapses as well and continues his crying, bawling into his lap.

Fighting back my indignant ego, I open up the package. I’ve gone longer than this, with much less food before, but never on purpose. Only when I had no other choice.

My stomach gives one final angry growl to tell me to hurry up, and I dig in.

* * *

The food Asriel gave me had a lot more variety than just the berries I had been living on, but even with that excitement, I know better than to eat too fast, after not eating for so long, my stomach couldn’t take it. So I inspect each item slowly before plopping it in my mouth and learning a new flavor. None of this stuff looks anything like what we have on the surface, at least  nothing I had.

About halfway through the food, I think about trying to save the rest, I’m still hungry, but having more as a backup would be smart. Glancing up to Asriel still crying into his knees I think better of it though, it would just upset him again. I would have thought he would have stopped by now, this wasn’t really that big a deal, and he was stupid, I could have hurt him. He doesn’t know me, I’m a human, we’ve killed thousands of his people if what that book said was true. He’s just an idiot. But he’s got to run out of tears eventually right? He can’t have that much water in him.

My eye catches the knife still stuck in the ground in front of him. If he wanted he could take it now and do as he pleased. Course he could have done that before if he wanted to anyways. He might not be an expert with it, but he can still use magic. But he doesn’t take the knife, he doesn’t even look at it.

Maybe he does have something to cry about.

The last of the food is gone now, eaten up in a few bites. The hunger that’s been plaguing me the last few days finally gone, hiding away until the next time it can torment me. My stomach is contently silent for a change and I feel good. Better than I have in a long time.

But as usual I have to kill my mood. Now that the foods done, I have to figure out what’s next. I don’t think Asriel is gonna let me be here, not after that. And if I leave there’s no guarantee that I’ll be able to find as good a place again. And even if I do, he found me once, he can probably do it again.

Looking back up to him, he’s now wrapped his ears in front of his eyes and is crying into them. He looks a mess and he looks kinda gross. But I think he’s starting to calm down, he’s making a lot less noise than before and his breathing’s gotten steadier.

Wanting to get his attention without actually saying anything I do the only sensible thing and ball up the wrappings from the food and promptly toss it at him. It hits him right on the nose and he recoils in surprise, flinging his ears off of his now extremely red and puffy eyes. With the dark bags he had before and the general puffiness, he really does look gross. But he’s looking at me now and there’s no going back.

“Hey crybaby,” I say for no reason since he’s already looking at me. ”How did you find me here?”

He looks surprised by the question, but then changes to a quick smirk, and with the puffy eyes it really doesn’t paint a pretty picture.

“That was easy,” He says with a sniffle. “There were only so many places you could have gone.”

His words hurt my ego a bit, but I want to hear more so I don’t stop him.

“No one had found you yet,” He continues with a croaky voice, “so you must have gone somewhere that there aren’t many monsters. And with the overcrowding issues we’ve been having recently that isn’t really that many places. Only three actually.” He raises up his han- err paw and holds up his three fingers with a bigger smile now, his other hand rubbing the tears from his eyes.

“The Forest, the Caves, or the uh, rest of the Underground.” He counts out each one on his fingers, he’s really enjoying this I think. “And I checked the door to the rest of the Underground and that was still locked and tightly shut so you hadn’t gone through there.” He lowers one of the three fingers now and leaves two remaining.

“And there aren’t really many people who would choose to live in the caves, mostly Slimes, Dragons, Moldsmalls and the like. So that leaves just one place.” He lowers another finger and leaves only one remaining. “The Forest.”

“Once I had that figured out it only took time. Home really isn’t that big once you get used to it and I have a lot of time to explore around. I know all the good hiding places everywhere and Forest has a lot of them. I went through every single one, but, uhh, I didn’t find you.” He shifts his eyes a bit like he’s embarrassed by what he had said and I don’t think I like the tone he used. He quickly plows through it though and continues.

“So I kept looking, checking other places I knew until there were only a couple left. I started think about heading towards Caves and looking there, but I really don’t like it in there, so I decided to check these last few spots, but I didn’t really expect you to be in them.” He’s got that uneasy look again. “But then I found you and you kinda know the rest.”

“Why didn’t you think I would be here?” I say with a stony face.

He blushes obviously embarrassed and not very good at hiding it or at least I think he blushes, kinda hard to tell with all the fur and he’s already all red and puffy.

“Well it’s just this place is really easy to stumble upon. Anyone following the cavern wall will bump into it and since you were trying to hide from people I thought you would have chosen somewhere else.” He’s really not good at this.

“Are you saying I’m bad at hiding?” I say.

“No no, not at all. I know you must have been in a hurry to find somewhere and with how thick the vines are you can’t even see in here. And it almost worked on me anyways, so maybe this is a better spot than I thought.” He says, flustered.

Tired from the earlier and not really wanting to upset him again since I still needed him for something I decide to just pout instead.

“I’ve never really had to try and hide before, no one’s ever cared where I was.”

Now he just stares, I probably said too much. I can’t scare him off until I know he isn’t gonna rat me out.

“So what now?” I say breaking the silence.

He doesn’t respond right away, taking a moment to choose his words. He’s started to play with his front paws, stroking his index finger with the claw from his thumb, either from nerves, or maybe an old habit.

“I don’t suppose you would want to come back with me to my place?” He asks, with a hint of hope in his voice.

“Why would I want to do that, I have a good place out here.” I say, crushing the idea before it has a chance to fester. “I even found a place to get my own food, why would I want to go anywhere.”

Asriel gives me a look that I really don’t appreciate, much more skeptical of the idea than I like.

“Well yeah this is a cool place to hang out for a little while, and you got this nice-“ He scrunches up his nose, apparently just now realizing the smell from it, “-blanket here that looks comfortable, but would you really want to live here?”

“Maybe I do, I can get anything I need in here, maybe another blanket, and I can make it into my own little house. What do you care anyways?” I say

“Do you want me to get you a mail box or something to make it official?” He says ignoring my question.

My face flushes red, who’s he to be making fun of me, I didn’t ask him for anything.

“Shut up, you idiot.” I spit out, “I don’t want anything from you, I just want to be left alone.”

I realize that he is still between me and the exit. If I wanted to leave I would have to go through him, I don’t think he’d stop me though.

“But why though, it’ll be so boring out here by yourself. No electricity, no books, no one to talk to. Being alone is no fun, why would you want that?” He says.

He’s being an idiot, I need to figure out how to convince him to leave me alone and not tell anyone, but how am I supposed to do that when he’s being so stubborn.

“I don’t care, I want to stay here and it’s none of your business. I don’t need any of that.” I say trying to be as firm as possible.

“Ugghhh, fine.” He says with an angry sigh, he stands and walks out.

That was unexpected, I find my mouth open and close it with a loud click. He left a lot easier than I thought he would. I didn’t even get the chance to make sure he wouldn’t tell anyone.

Waiting now, five minutes, now ten and he doesn’t come back. He’s really gone.

My legs are a bit stiff from sitting on them for so long, but I manage to stand myself up and tiptoe to the exit, being as silent as possible. Peeking my head out, there’s no one here so I exit fully. Looking around the outside of the bush, I try to stay silent, though it’s much harder now with all the dead leaves and branches below me. He really did leave.

What an idiot.

What am I supposed to do now?

* * *

Chara is being so silly, why would they want to stay out here. That would be no fun at all. Asriel thinks to himself as he trudges through the woods, on his way back to his house.

Forest is fun and all, but being out here all the time would be too much. Is this how humans live on the surface? Maybe I just have to show them how cool living inside can be and then I can convince them to come back with me. But how do I do that?

He reaches the edge of the woods now after a bit of walking, deep in thought on how he can change Chara’s mind. But he can’t really think of anything useful, at least anything that would be practical.

Walking through town now, Asriel gets stopped on occasion to chat with various monsters, but with a goal set in mind he keeps it short and tries to leave everyone with just a smile or a nod.

Reaching the platform that leads back to his house he calls back down the magic elevator. When he had been little he was terrified of going on the thing. It was so high up and the elevator just drops down below you, not overly fast, but enough to make him queasy. He eventually got over it though, it was either that or be left at home whenever Toriel and Asgore went into town. Or he could have used that maintenance rope ladder on the other side, but that thing was a death trap, you’d have to be stupid to use it.

Now he’s used it so many times he can take it in stride with only the tiniest little discomfort in his stomach when he starts the descent.

The elevator finally reaches the ground and rests at Asriel’s feet and he promptly steps on and starts his ascent. He quickly turns to the wall, closes his eyes and holds his breath, not cause he’s scared or anything, just because he really thinks the wall is interesting.

A few moments pass and he reaches the top, jumping off onto the platform and quickly heading towards his house.

_Hopefully no one will be home, they shouldn’t be at least. They should still be busy with work._

He makes his way along the path and reaches his door. Opening it quietly he peeks in to see if he can hear anyone. The house is cold and silent.

Perfect.

He rushes to the closet down the hall, not wanting to test his luck any more than needed, and pushes open the door. With a groan he realizes how packed full it is in there, Asgore had promised to clean it out so long ago.

Undeterred Asriel starts shifting things around out of his way until he finds what he was looking for. Trying to pull it out he finds it stuck under a particularly heavy box. With all the strength he can call forth with his powerful little arms, he pushes the heavy box up a few centimeters, pulling his prize free and dropping the box down with a huff.

Victorious now he closes the closet back up, having to give it a push to get all the junk that was trying to fall out, back in.

Asriel walks back down the hall and drops his prize by the door. Thinking of what else he might need, he goes into the kitchen and packs up some food. Hungry now though, since he had given Chara his lunch, he makes himself a snack and quickly eats it down so he can be on his way.

Back to the front door he picks up his bag that he had left there and puts all the food in for safe keeping. He throws the bag back on, picks up the items and opens the door. He makes a quick glance out to make sure he’s still alone, he can’t get caught now, not at this point. Sprinting back towards the elevator as quick as his little legs can go and he gets on. He smiles down at his prizes wrapped in his arms and begins the descent, two small soft sleeping bags.

* * *

It took me some time to figure out what I wanted to do. I like this spot, I really do. What Asriel had said made me think for a while about how good a spot it is to hide, but Asriel’s the only one who’s found me here since I've been here and I haven’t even seen anyone this deep in the woods either.

He knows I’m here now though and I don’t know what to do about that. I could leave, but he might be able to find me again. And with how small this forest is there may not even be any other good places for me, at least none I’ve seen.

I could go up to the caves he talked about, but the idea of stumbling upon a monster in there doesn’t seem like a good idea. And Asriel would probably go looking for me there right away anyways.

That door to the rest of the underground he mentioned might be the perfect place, but he didn’t say where that was and it sounded hard to get through. Maybe that book would give me a clue to that, but I can’t waste time reading through it when something might be coming.

So all I could do is wait, and waiting I have been. I found a tree that I was actually able to shamble my way up, far enough away that I wouldn’t be noticed, but with a clear sight to see my spot. Leaves spread out around me to keep me hidden.

And I wait and keep waiting. I’ve never been a patient person and the anticipation kills me, if only he said something before he left I could know what to expect. Know if he’s coming back or if he’ll be bringing his parents with him maybe, or if he just got tired of me and left for good. If the latter is the case I might have to stay up here for days, I don’t know if I can do that. I shift, trying to get comfortable, my butt already hurting from the hard bark below.

If he does bring someone else here I’ll be able to see it and be able to hide up here until they leave again. Then I can go find somewhere new to stay. Might even do that if he only comes back alone.

But the waiting sucks, and I have to suppress a loud groan that’s itching at my throat, would kind of ruin the point if anyone nearby can hear.

And I wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, until it starts to get dark now, and then I wait, and wait, and wait, and wait.

Just as dusk begins to set there’s movement, far over near the bush. I begin to think my eyes were just playing tricks with the recent darkness, but again it’s there. White fur shines in the darkness and I can see Asriel walking to the entrance of my spot and letting himself in. He’s carrying something, and he’s alone.

* * *

Asriel finally gets back to Chara’s “house.” It had been a huge pain getting here for Asriel, his arms full, he couldn’t use them to help get over or around any obstacles and all the food he has in the bag is heavy. By the time he got back he is pretty worn out.

So he is understandably quite annoyed once inside to find that Chara wasn’t there.

_Where could they have gone? It’s dark out, they’re gonna get themselves lost. Chara said this was gonna be their home right? They wouldn’t have left to find a new one would they? They left everything behind anyways._

Asriel walks around looking through the stuff Chara had collected. He spies a big book over in the corner and he jumps over to it excitedly, but it had been one he’s already read before. Passing it aside he sees the bag of food that they had taken, barely touched at all. A few other random items are spread around, but nothing really interesting.

Frustrated he plops down near the center and places the sleeping bags next to him. He takes off his heavy bag and puts it aside as well. He doesn’t know what else to do, so he waits.

A few minutes pass by with nothing happening other than him playing with his fingers, until he realizes he’s sitting about where he had been earlier. Just in front of his toes is the hole in the blanket from the knife, he sticks his fingers inside and can feel it continue down into the dirt as well.

What he had done was pretty stupid. Chara hadn’t wanted to hurt him, he knows, but if they had even flinched or if he had stepped a bit too close it would of… ehh… hurt.

But Chara didn’t let that happen, they made sure they didn’t hurt him and he had even gotten them to eat. Asriel would have preferred that they would have taken the knife away a little more carefully, instead of just letting it drop down blade first, right between his bare feet, but they must have known what they were doing since it didn’t hurt him.

They must know what they’re doing with that knife. Wonder if they play with it a lot, seems kind of dangerous.

The knife.

The knife’s gone, Asriel realizes with a start. It had been there until he left, Chara must have picked it up after he was gone, before they left. But then does that mean they’re gone for good? Would they have left all this other stuff behind?

“Chara,” Asriel says aloud, his voice creaky from crying earlier and the recent lack of use.

“Chara!” He says again, this time with more confidence. He gets to his feet and rushes out the door, leaving his stuff behind.

“Chara! Where are you?! Chara come back!” He screams, using his hands to amplify his voice. “CHARA!”

“WHAT?” A voice screams from behind Asriel.

Asriel flinches away and flames take his place.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Any questions or comments feel free to send them. If I can answer without spoiling anything I will be happy to.  
> Follow me on Tumblr for updates and extra content on the story.  
> http://chararetold.tumblr.com/  
> Next chapter will be out soon.


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